Education Minister and Member of Parliament for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu, has criticised what he describes as increasing abuses of power by some state institutions in the handling of bail for accused persons.
Speaking at the funeral rites of Dr Mahama Sayibu on Thursday, May 28, 2026, the senior National Democratic Congress (NDC) lawmaker accused the Ghana Police Service, the courts, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) of turning bail into a form of punishment rather than a legal safeguard.
“In Ghana today, we have seen excesses; excesses from the Police, excesses from the Court, excesses from EOCO denying persons bail, and using bail as punishment for accused persons. That is not law,” he said.
Mr Iddrisu stressed that Ghana’s laws are clear on bail administration and cautioned against arbitrary denials or excessively harsh bail conditions.
He noted that under Section 96(3) and (4) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act, 1960 (Act 30), bail conditions must be reasonable and based on the circumstances of each case, rather than used as punitive measures.
He also referenced Article 19(2)(c) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees the presumption of innocence until proven guilty after a fair trial.
“Don’t deny an accused person bail or ask an accused person to pay excessively as a punishment,” he urged. “Every person is presumed innocent until after a fair trial.”
The Education Minister further called for reforms within the justice system and appealed to institutions responsible for administering justice to act with fairness and restraint.
“I expect that in Ghana today we must end the high-handedness and excessiveness in matters relating to bail, its denial, and its conditions,” he stated.
His comments come amid growing public concern over bail practices in Ghana, with some legal experts and civil society groups raising questions over restrictive bail conditions that keep accused persons in custody despite being granted bail.
The remarks also follow similar concerns raised recently by Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, who has called for reforms in Ghana’s remand and bail system.
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